Biden and Macron to meet in person amid underwater tension

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday as the United States sought to stem the Publication date France’s fury over a deal to sell nuclear submarines to Australia.

In a joint statement following the call, the two leaders said they agreed that “the situation would have benefited from open consultations among allies on issues of strategic interest to France and our European partners. “. The two will meet in person at the end of October, they said in the statement.

“President Biden reaffirms the strategic importance of French and European engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, including within the framework of the recently published European Union strategy for the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said. “The United States also recognizes the importance of a stronger and more capable European defense, which positively contributes to transatlantic and global security and is complementary to NATO.”

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The diplomatic row between the United States and France erupted last week over the deal the Biden administration announced with Australia to provide that country with nuclear-powered submarines as part of a broader security pact that also included the UK. But the French expected them to sell submarines to Australia under a 2016 contract.

French officials said they were caught off guard by the announcement, which cost them the $ 66 billion deal. In response, France recalled its ambassadors from the United States and Australia and canceled a gala at its embassy in Washington.

Following Wednesday’s appeal, Macron said he would allow the French ambassador to return to Washington next week to begin “intensive work” with senior U.S. officials to improve relations.

Before the call, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said Macron was awaiting “clarifications and clear commitments to re-engage” from Biden.

“We expect our allies to recognize that the exchanges and consultations that should have been carried out did not take place, and this raises the question of confidence,” Attal said Wednesday. “It is therefore now up to all of us to bear the consequences together.”